Kay Bradley is an Anna Chaplain – dedicated to the spiritual care of older people – for the four parishes in the Lenborough benefice. She’s also a churchwarden in Padbury. She explains the connection between the Bible passages opposite and what she does day to day.
Dwelling in the Word
These Bible passages have spoken, and continue to speak, to Kay Bradley. When she was longing to respond to God’s call, at times when she is overburdened, and as a constant inspiration, these are the verses that have come alive for her.
These verses are from the New Revised Standard version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
An incredible tool
Covid and lockdown, frustrating as those times were, made me appreciate the joy of peace and quiet. Throughout lockdown, our vicar led the church online. A weekly meditation was livestreamed. It was amazing. I couldn’t get enough of it! But let’s go back a moment…
I have attended church services all my life. When we were children, there was nothing else to do on Sundays – no shopping, television or car. The Zoom meetings and my reflections made me realise the scale of my ignorance about the Bible. For over 75 years I heard Bible passages read in church. I could have told you most of Jesus’ miracles, but otherwise my knowledge was shallow. My late husband was an architect and probably I knew more about quinquennials (five-yearly church building inspections) than I did about the Bible!
I had the opportunity to think about what I had taken for granted for so long. Why hadn’t I realised what an incredible tool the Bible is?
Learning by doing
I tend to learn by doing. What could I do? I was too old for ordination, but I kept seeing mention of Anna Chaplains, there for people who have lived longer and are of strong, little or no faith – in other words, every older person.
After much research and my own simple way of praying, more and more I found the verses of 1 Samuel resonating with me.
“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
Samuel didn’t know who was calling or what was expected of him but his and Eli’s faith were enough for him to say yes. I really felt that God was pointing me towards Anna Chaplain ministry, and many times since I made the momentous decision to train as an Anna Chaplain, I have been strengthened by these words.
Navigating unfamiliar territory
When confronted with seemingly unsolvable problems, I get that feeling that God must be telling me to do something that leads into unfamiliar territory – in these times especially, the verses give me strength to accept the challenge.
This year there was a vacancy for a vicar in our benefice. On the plus side it gave me opportunities that I never thought I would have. However, sometimes it all seemed a bit overwhelming. Jesus recognised the need for rest, so when I think, “I can’t do this anymore,” I turn to Mark 6.31–32.
The disciples needed peace and quiet, but are faced with a multitude of people reliant on them for help. I read Jesus’ words:
“Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”
My quiet place is a candlelit room, there just for me and my thoughts.
Ephesians 3.16–21 sums up the reason I do what I do. At times it is hard to focus, the road ahead full of potholes and there seem to be rules and regulations about everything, but I feel privileged to be part of a wonderful church family where I am “rooted and grounded in love”.
As told to Pathways by Kay Bradley.